Food preservation experts have long known that comestibles keep fresh longer and are generally preserved when kept within a vacuum or partial vacuum environment. At least one reason for this benefit is that the food items are less able to undergo various oxidation reactions when oxygen is not present or less present. Accordingly, various devices have been provided in the prior art for sealing comestibles within vacuum or partial vacuum environments. Most such devices have been in two parts including the vacuum pump and associated structure separate from a food container. The vacuum pump is temporarily coupled to the food container and the vacuum is drawn. The food container is then sealed, sealing out the surrounding atmosphere and maintaining, an at least partial vacuum environment within the container. The container is then disconnected from the vacuum pump.
While such general equipment and food preservation methodologies are generally effective, they do not provide the highest degree of convenience. In particular, it is always required that the vacuum pump apparatus and the container be present. The vacuum equipment is typically bulky and beneficially kept in a single location. Also, there are times when a user has a container available which could support a vacuum but no access to a vacuum pump. Accordingly, a need exists for a container which has a vacuum pump integrally included therewith so that comestibles or other items placed within the container can be made both portable and always maintained in a vacuum or semi-vacuum state.
At least one prior art patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,255 to Schmidt) teaches such a container which includes an integrally formed vacuum pump. The device taught by Schmidt as well as other related products are not entirely satisfactory in satisfying the needs of a user who wishes to maintain comestibles or other items in a state of at least partial vacuum and provide a convenience and ease of use which discerning customers have become accustomed. In particular, a need exists for such a vacuum container which readily operates in an intuitive fashion so that a user need merely place comestibles or other items within the container, close the container and latch the container, with the container itself efficiently and effectively performing the remaining procedure of creating a vacuum within the container. Such a container should also be easily openable even when securely sealed, despite the significant atmospheric forces acting on the lid which must be overcome when a vacuum condition exists within the container and opening is desired.